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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do Ambrosius' men do with the dead soldiers?

2. What is the name of the hill with Merlin's cave?

3. To where does Merlin decide to follow Ambrosius' troops?

4. Who is the man who has been listening to Dinias and Merlin?

5. Who is the fierce Saxon warrior?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do King Vortigern and his men want to kill Merlin?

2. Why does Uther have no problem going up into the Lady Ygraine's room?

3. Why is Uther mad at Merlin at the end of this story?

4. How is Lady Niniane described in this section?

5. What does Merlin realize as he is sitting watching the battle at Maesbeli?

6. Why is Uther upset with Merlin?

7. What news does the real Brithael give to the Lady Ygraine?

8. Why was Killare thought of as a holy place?

9. What does Merlin do when he arrives home?

10. Who sits and waits out the storm?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea that Merlin is a bastard child is something that haunts him and then helps him in the story. Being singled out seems to have given him an advantage over his companions.

Part 1 - What are the results of Merlin's reputation as a bastard child when he is young? When he is older?

Part 2 - Does this label seem to affect Merlin? If so, how? If not, why not?

Part 3 - When Merlin does discover who his father is, what does that mean to him?

Essay Topic 2

Foreshadowing plays a major role in this novel, giving the characters a sense of what might happen as well as helping the reader to see how the story may or may not unfold.

Part 1 - Give at least three examples of foreshadowing in the novel.

Part 2 - Describe each example of foreshadowing, the setting, and whether it came true the way it was perceived.

Part 3 - Why do you think foreshadowing is used in this story? What does it contribute to the story? To the characters? To the outcomes?

Essay Topic 3

Time seems to be scattered in this novel, with time slowing down and then speeding up at irregular intervals.

Part 1 - What is the importance of time in this novel? Is it important? Why?

Part 2 - What does Merlin's storytelling and the lapses in the time periods seem to say about Merlin?

Part 3 - Can the reader understand the story when it's not told in a linear fashion? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 633 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample